diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 0dd394c459..e3fbbe12ad 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ MyAvatar::MyAvatar(QThread* thread) :
     _displayNameSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "displayName", ""),
     _collisionSoundURLSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "collisionSoundURL", QUrl(_collisionSoundURL)),
     _useSnapTurnSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "useSnapTurn", _useSnapTurn),
+    _hoverWhenUnsupportedSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "hoverWhenUnsupported", _hoverWhenUnsupported),
     _userHeightSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "userHeight", DEFAULT_AVATAR_HEIGHT),
     _flyingHMDSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "flyingHMD", _flyingPrefHMD),
     _movementReferenceSetting(QStringList() << AVATAR_SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME << "movementReference", _movementReference),
@@ -948,6 +949,7 @@ void MyAvatar::simulate(float deltaTime, bool inView) {
         bool collisionlessAllowed = zoneInteractionProperties.second;
         _characterController.setZoneFlyingAllowed(zoneAllowsFlying || !isPhysicsEnabled);
         _characterController.setComfortFlyingAllowed(_enableFlying);
+        _characterController.setHoverWhenUnsupported(_hoverWhenUnsupported);
         _characterController.setCollisionlessAllowed(collisionlessAllowed);
     }
 
@@ -1309,6 +1311,7 @@ void MyAvatar::saveData() {
     _displayNameSetting.set(_displayName);
     _collisionSoundURLSetting.set(_collisionSoundURL);
     _useSnapTurnSetting.set(_useSnapTurn);
+    _hoverWhenUnsupportedSetting.set(_hoverWhenUnsupported);
     _userHeightSetting.set(getUserHeight());
     _flyingHMDSetting.set(getFlyingHMDPref());
     _movementReferenceSetting.set(getMovementReference());
@@ -1913,6 +1916,7 @@ void MyAvatar::loadData() {
     setDisplayName(_displayNameSetting.get());
     setCollisionSoundURL(_collisionSoundURLSetting.get(QUrl(DEFAULT_AVATAR_COLLISION_SOUND_URL)).toString());
     setSnapTurn(_useSnapTurnSetting.get());
+    setHoverWhenUnsupported(_hoverWhenUnsupportedSetting.get());
     setDominantHand(_dominantHandSetting.get(DOMINANT_RIGHT_HAND).toLower());
     setStrafeEnabled(_strafeEnabledSetting.get(DEFAULT_STRAFE_ENABLED));
     setHmdAvatarAlignmentType(_hmdAvatarAlignmentTypeSetting.get(DEFAULT_HMD_AVATAR_ALIGNMENT_TYPE).toLower());
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index ef38318b0f..7179c31d91 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -798,6 +798,18 @@ public:
      * @param {number} index
     */
     Q_INVOKABLE void setControlScheme(int index) { _controlSchemeIndex = (index >= 0 && index <= 2) ? index : 0; }
+    
+    /**jsdoc
+     * @function MyAvatar.hoverWhenUnsupported
+     * @returns {boolean} 
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE bool hoverWhenUnsupported() const { return _hoverWhenUnsupported; }
+    /**jsdoc
+     * @function MyAvatar.setHoverWhenUnsupported
+     * @param {boolean} on
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE void setHoverWhenUnsupported(bool on) { _hoverWhenUnsupported = on; }
+
     /**jsdoc
      * Sets the avatar's dominant hand.
      * @function MyAvatar.setDominantHand
@@ -2484,6 +2496,7 @@ private:
     ThreadSafeValueCache<QUrl> _prefOverrideAnimGraphUrl;
     QUrl _fstAnimGraphOverrideUrl;
     bool _useSnapTurn { true };
+    bool _hoverWhenUnsupported{ true };
     ThreadSafeValueCache<QString> _dominantHand { DOMINANT_RIGHT_HAND };
     ThreadSafeValueCache<QString> _hmdAvatarAlignmentType { DEFAULT_HMD_AVATAR_ALIGNMENT_TYPE };
     ThreadSafeValueCache<bool> _strafeEnabled{ DEFAULT_STRAFE_ENABLED };
@@ -2679,6 +2692,7 @@ private:
     Setting::Handle<QString> _displayNameSetting;
     Setting::Handle<QUrl> _collisionSoundURLSetting;
     Setting::Handle<bool> _useSnapTurnSetting;
+    Setting::Handle<bool> _hoverWhenUnsupportedSetting;
     Setting::Handle<float> _userHeightSetting;
     Setting::Handle<bool> _flyingHMDSetting;
     Setting::Handle<int> _movementReferenceSetting;
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/PreferencesDialog.cpp b/interface/src/ui/PreferencesDialog.cpp
index bb84b88a1e..6a2516115d 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/PreferencesDialog.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/PreferencesDialog.cpp
@@ -300,6 +300,12 @@ void setupPreferences() {
         preference->setIndented(true);
         preferences->addPreference(preference);
     }
+    {
+        auto getter = [myAvatar]() -> bool { return myAvatar->hoverWhenUnsupported(); };
+        auto setter = [myAvatar](bool value) { myAvatar->setHoverWhenUnsupported(value); };
+        auto preference = new CheckPreference(VR_MOVEMENT, "Hover When Unsupported", getter, setter);
+        preferences->addPreference(preference);
+    }
     {
         auto getter = [myAvatar]()->int { return myAvatar->getMovementReference(); };
         auto setter = [myAvatar](int value) { myAvatar->setMovementReference(value);  };
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
index 247550a9d0..f0f1b9c837 100755
--- a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
@@ -754,7 +754,11 @@ void CharacterController::updateState() {
         switch (_state) {
             case State::Ground:
                 if (!rayHasHit && !_hasSupport) {
-                    SET_STATE(State::Hover, "no ground detected");
+                    if (_hoverWhenUnsupported) {
+                       SET_STATE(State::Hover, "no ground detected");
+                    } else {
+                       SET_STATE(State::InAir, "falling");
+                    }
                 } else if (_pendingFlags & PENDING_FLAG_JUMP && _jumpButtonDownCount != _takeoffJumpButtonID) {
                     _takeoffJumpButtonID = _jumpButtonDownCount;
                     _takeoffToInAirStartTime = now;
@@ -764,7 +768,7 @@ void CharacterController::updateState() {
                 }
                 break;
             case State::Takeoff:
-                if (!rayHasHit && !_hasSupport) {
+                if (_hoverWhenUnsupported && (!rayHasHit && !_hasSupport)) {
                     SET_STATE(State::Hover, "no ground");
                 } else if ((now - _takeoffToInAirStartTime) > TAKE_OFF_TO_IN_AIR_PERIOD) {
                     SET_STATE(State::InAir, "takeoff done");
@@ -791,7 +795,7 @@ void CharacterController::updateState() {
                         SET_STATE(State::Hover, "double jump button");
                     } else if (_comfortFlyingAllowed && (jumpButtonHeld || vertTargetSpeedIsNonZero) && (now - _jumpButtonDownStartTime) > JUMP_TO_HOVER_PERIOD) {
                         SET_STATE(State::Hover, "jump button held");
-                    } else if ((!rayHasHit && !_hasSupport) || _floorDistance > _scaleFactor * DEFAULT_AVATAR_FALL_HEIGHT) {
+                    } else if (_hoverWhenUnsupported && ((!rayHasHit && !_hasSupport) || _floorDistance > _scaleFactor * DEFAULT_AVATAR_FALL_HEIGHT)) {
                         // Transition to hover if there's no ground beneath us or we are above the fall threshold, regardless of _comfortFlyingAllowed
                         SET_STATE(State::Hover, "above fall threshold");
                     }
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
index c46c9c8361..c825f3a10b 100755
--- a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ public:
 
     void setZoneFlyingAllowed(bool value) { _zoneFlyingAllowed = value; }
     void setComfortFlyingAllowed(bool value) { _comfortFlyingAllowed = value; }
+    void setHoverWhenUnsupported(bool value) { _hoverWhenUnsupported = value; }
     void setCollisionlessAllowed(bool value);
 
     void setPendingFlagsUpdateCollisionMask(){ _pendingFlags |= PENDING_FLAG_UPDATE_COLLISION_MASK; }
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ protected:
 
     bool _zoneFlyingAllowed { true };
     bool _comfortFlyingAllowed { true };
+    bool _hoverWhenUnsupported{ true };
     bool _collisionlessAllowed { true };
     bool _collisionless { false };